


Spectrolite: The Widest Range

by Azidy



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Bulbasaur | Fushigidane, Charmander | Hitokage, Gen, Kanto Starters, Kanto-chihou | Kanto, Multi, Original Character(s), POV First Person, POV Original Character, Pokemon - Freeform, Pokemon Training, Squirtle | Zenigame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-15 02:22:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10548424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azidy/pseuds/Azidy
Summary: „Click-clack, click-clack, click-clack...“The sound of high heels hitting the marble floor kept resonating around me. There was nothing but the boring white interior that reminds me too much of hospitals, and what seemed like and endless array of doors stretching to both my left and right.They all looked the same, plain and white, with only a small brushed metal plaque fixed on each of them, indicating what lies behind them. Up until now, we've passed next to about a dozen offices with names I didn't bother to remember.That's not why I'm here anyway.





	1. Plain White

„Click-clack, click-clack, click-clack...“

The sound of high heels hitting the marble floor kept resonating around me. There was nothing but the boring white interior that reminded me too much of hospitals, and what seemed like and endless array of doors stretching to both my left and right.

They all looked the same, plain and white, with only a small brushed metal plaque fixed on each of them, indicating what lied behind them. Up until now, we had passed next to about a dozen offices with names I didn’t bother to remember. That’s not why I’m here anyway.

The woman walking in front of me seemed to know where she was going by the way she held her head high, not having to look around and read all the tags to know where we were. She was about two meters in front of me, not really trying too hard to see whether I was following her or not. There was a security guard stationed at every entrance and exit, and we’ve encountered one patrolling this same hallway less than a minute ago. It’s not like there was anywhere else I could be going.

Her shoes echoed in the same rhythm, over and over again and it all made it look like a dream. The white nothingness around me, the repeating pattern with only a few letters scrambled here and there that made barely any difference, the seemingly infinite hallway that stretched in front of me – it just didn’t feel real.

_What are they doing now? Are they in the kitchen, like they always would be during a serious moment, staring at the door, almost as if they were waiting for something to come in and resolve the situation._

Thinking about them makes me question if I’d made the right decision about coming here. _What is right anyway?_ I’ve heard different versions of right and wrong over the years, all explaining one idea, a single thought. _How’s that possible? And how is it possible that I have all of these thoughts in my head, but when it comes to it, I just say nothing? Why didn’t I say more…_

_If my choice really was a mistake... If I should have just backed away like instructed and pretended none of this existed, what then? Would I still be having these same doubts? Would I be walking this same path, maybe down a hallway a bit less white and confusing, but with the same thoughts in my head?_

As I was thinking my decision through one last time, I subconsciously turn around, my mind looking for an exit, for a way to go back. Of course, the only thing I saw was the white corner where we had turned right just a few seconds ago, but in my head I saw a picture of my “old” life, the familiar environment I grew up in. _When have I started calling everything I know ‘old’?_

“We’re almost there.”

A voice reached me and woke me up from my thoughts as I turned my gaze forward one more time.

The woman escorting me was in her mid 20’s, her caramel blond hair tied in a tight bun on the back of her head. She was wearing a grey knee-length pencil skirt and a white formal shirt with black buttons down the front. Her black stilettos and a white lab coat completed her outfit, making her look older and professional, but in truth she was only a few years older than me.

Looking around, I noticed how the spacing between doors on the same side became a lot bigger, meaning we’ve gotten past the general office area where people spend their days in a 2-by-2 box. These new doors lacked the fore mentioned metal plaques, instead containing warnings and safety measures written on pieces of paper.

_Authorised personal only. Smoking not allowed. This area contains highly dangerous chemicals. Experiment in progress._

A wide spectrum of signs urging every sane person to just turn around, walk away and never look back. Maybe even run for it. _What are the odds of outrunning those expertly trained guards? Yup, close to zero._ So we just kept going.

After countless doors and signs I had stopped reading at some point, the path we had taken has reached its ending. Another person in a similar-looking white lab coat was standing next to two adjacent doors, this time a man in his mid 40’s. He was about 180 cm tall with thinning brown hair, focused on reading some kind of file attached to a blue clipboard.

Next to him there was a young guy casually leaning against the wall. His arms were crossed in front of him, some of his jet black strands of hair falling down his face. He was dressed in dark blue jeans, a grey T-shirt with some kind of print in the front and a black leather jacket. There was a black backpack placed neatly next to his feet as he paid little to no attention to us approaching.

Next to him stood a girl around his age that seemed fixated on reading some of those warnings signs posted on the doors. Her auburn brown hair was kept in a loose braid and reached the middle of her back. Her white T-shirt and skinny black jeans fit her perfectly and made it obvious she wasn’t in bad shape. A grey hoodie was tied around her waist and she had a dark blue backpack slung around her right shoulder.

I, on the other hand, didn’t seem nearly as calm and relaxed as that guy or curious and prepared for what’s to come like her. _In case I needed some more reasons to question all of my life choices in this particular moment…_

“Ah, I see you’ve finally reached us. If that’s alright with all of you, I propose we proceed inside.” The man spoke to all of us, exchanging a nod with the woman in charge of escorting me. They both proceeded towards the left door, opening it and waiting for us to follow.

It was only then that both of them turned to look at me. Cold olive green eyes pierced at me as he finally made an effort to lift his head and acknowledge my existence. His hair was kept longer in the front and he effortlessly removed some of the loose strands by sweeping his bangs sideways. He swiftly picked his bag up and sized me up head to toe in a split second.

“Uhm, hi, my name is-“ As I tried extending my hand to shake his, before I could actually finish my sentence, the guy just turned around and stepped through the open doors on the left. I was left there, standing awkwardly with my hand just hanging mid air, my mouth still opened as I tried figuring out what in the earth could be done in this situation.

“Matsuuuu, don’t be so mean, ugh…” She said, her braid swinging in the air as she tried yelling after the guy I’m probably going to dislike for the rest of my life. Or a bit longer than that.  

“I’m sorry, he’s… just not very good with people.” Two sapphire blue eyes met my chestnut brown ones and a small hand extended to save me from my miserable attempt at a handshake. She smiled apologetically and I immediately liked her a whole lot better than the first guy, even though she was trying to defend him for some reason.

“N-no, it’s alright, don’t worry about it.” _It wasn’t, but it’s not her fault that guy’s a jerk._

“Come on, let’s go inside as well, okay? Oh, and my name is Akemi, nice to meet you.” Another smile played on her lips, pure and spontaneous, the kind that just makes everyone feel so much better, as she rushed inside in two swift steps.

As I was left alone in the empty hallway, still unsure of what had just happened, I started walking towards those doors and then it hit me – I completely forgot to even mutter my own name and I managed to mess up again. _Great._


	2. Sapphire Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I closed the doors behind me and turned to face whatever and whoever was waiting for me in this room. Except, I wouldn’t have really called it a room. Our attention was taken away by the clearing of a throat, coming from behind us. The man took a pair of glasses out of his lab coat pocket and, after putting them on, started reading out loud.

I closed the doors behind me and turned to face whatever and _whoever_ was waiting for me in this room. Except, I wouldn’t have really called it a room.

Just normal walls surrounded us from three sides, but in front there was an array of black blinds covering everything from floor to ceiling. Except for the drapes, everything was as boring and bland as the endless corridor we had left behind. The three of us kept looking around, trying to discern our surroundings, but quickly coming to conclusion there was really nothing to see.

Our attention was taken away by the clearing of a throat, coming from behind us. The man took a pair of glasses out of his lab coat pocket and, after putting them on, started reading out loud.

“Matsuo Shusui, age 17.” The man called out and a curt nod came from the raven haired guy to my right.

“Akemi Tara, age 16.” He continued.

“Here!” Exclaimed the girl, smiling politely. It seemed like nothing affected her mood too much and she wasn’t just being nice to me out of pity earlier, after her friend or- _wait, why did it seem like those two have known each other from before?_

“Nakano Hiroto, age 16.” He called my name, interrupting my thoughts, but also saving me the trouble of finding a way to introduce myself for the third time in less than 5 minutes. I answered with a simple “yes” and let him continue.

“I am doctor Norishige, in charge of this project and the scientific research behind it. It is needless to stress out how any knowledge the three of you receive while in this institute is to be kept to yourselves, with no exceptions. The work conducted here contains sensitive information kept secret from the rest of the population and we wish to keep it that way. Is that clear?”

The atmosphere in this less than spacious area suddenly grew tense. A hint of seriousness swept across everyone’s faces, the awkward greetings and insignificant problems now irrelevant. It was needless to say how I still wasn’t certain this was the place where I had belonged. I gulped, louder than I had wanted to, but all of my energy invested in trying to look like I wasn’t going to faint any second now.

“It’s too late for any of you to change your minds at this point, after seeing this facility and some of its employees. But this is when the most crucial part of your decision really begins. You will be working for us for the remainder of your lives and won’t be able to return to your former residencies, I believe that much is clear?”

Although it wasn’t much of a question, the scientist paused for a moment, looking at each of us individually, without waiting for an actual response. His face didn’t contain any eye-catching characteristics at first, but his piercing grey eyes and a thin line of his lips that never seemed to curl into a smile stayed carved into my brain, hinting just how crucial this project was to him.

“After careful assessment of your personality traits, strengths, weaknesses and abilities, we’ve reached the conclusion on what would suit you best. We’ve decided to exclude the selection process and have assigned each of you with the best fitting subject.”

I kept getting lost in his highly professional speech and talks of formal decision making processes, but the last part just didn’t feel right to me. And then it hit me.

_Wait, what? He’s not gonna let us choose? They’ve decided for us?_

Even the disinterested guy who kept his cool up until this point seemed annoyed by these news as he narrowed his eyes, piercing the man with his gaze. He shortly turned to look at Akemi whose usual smile was now replaced by a staggered expression.

“We believed this to be the best and safest method to insure optimal results. After all, not all of you here possess the same qualities, or have the same amount of experience in this line of work.” He concluded, adding that snarky remark at the end and looking directly at me, like it was something we were all aware, like it was only logical for him to dislike me after five minutes and also like these were, in fact, old news, or at least for the rest of this room they were...

I felt offended by his unnecessary comments, but that was less important in this particular moment. What mattered was the meaning of his words and how unbelievable they seemed to me. The words just rushed out of my mouth.

“Wait, what do you mean? How is that possible? They have _more_ experience than me?! How would anyone have _any_ experience? No one our age has ever seen them! There was no trace of any in this city in over 20 years and you’ve said how we’re not older than 18 so how-“

“That’s enough.” As I tried protesting, fighting for an answer, fighting to know more about this, I was cut off by a slightly raised tone coming from the doctor and it shut me up. I still felt out of place, lost in this confusing setting and lack of familiarity I had been feeling since the moment I had stepped outside the walls earlier this morning.

_Just what in the Earth is going on…_

There was a smirk of superiority displayed on that _Matsuo Shusui_ guy’s face, the kind that made me want to punch him, or at least do something to wipe it off. Akemi avoided my gaze, looking almost uncomfortable and playing with the end of her long braid. _Is this for real?_

Doctor Norishige cleared his throat again and raised the fore mentioned clipboard, searching for something.

“Yes, Nakano Hiroto, _you_ are the only candidate without any prior experience.”

And that concluded this conversation. I was left staring at both the research team and my two peers who’ve apparently led a different life than me. A life not confided by these walls that have been surrounding me from the day I was born, giving no indication on just what laid behind them. _How is that possible?_

…

 

After signing what seemed like the hundredth consent note and discretion agreement, they seemed to be as pleased with us as possible. The man’s hand reached to take the controller and the blinds started slowly lifting off the ground, uncovering more and more of the secrets the glass windows hid behind them.

What appeared before me was definitely not something I had expected. Something like a well-equipped laboratory was the picture I had in mind, but in reality, it was the complete opposite.

It was the size of an average high school indoor gym, but without the characteristic markings on the floor and basketball hoops at each end. The only reason I even thought about high school in this moment was the nostalgia still haunting me after these two weeks of absence. In truth, I felt like I was staring at one of the paintings of different types of scenery and nature found in our art history textbooks. But we were inside a man-made facility.

On our left appeared, what seemed like to me, a sort of a backyard pond I’ve seen a couple of times when exploring the elite neighbourhoods down town. It was about five meters long and two metres wide, its shape slightly resembling that of an oval and walled off by huge rocks from all angles. The water looked crystal clear, completely see-through and less than a meter and a half deep.

As my gaze started to divert away from the water, an array of green started to take its place. Grass was sprouting from the ground, the kind you’d find in an open field, unlike a marble or wooden floor often seen indoors. About a dozen different types of flowers in full bloom, ranging from pure white to a deep crimson red, a complete contrast to the boring white interior we had seen up until now. There was a narrow pebble pathway leading in the midst of this greenery, but its end was obscured by a pair of looming trees, both covered in little buds about to sprout.

On the far right, disturbing the harmony of natural order somehow present in this place, a wall of bars separated a smaller portion of the area. Neither the grass nor the flowers came anywhere close to this strange construction. There were several locks positioned above the doorknob in the middle, indicating a way for people to get in and out. Another doors with some more locks were situated on the wall behind it, but these were the only traces of humankind I could find.

But what fascinated me even more than this strange indoor forest coupled with a small pond, was what lied above us. A beautiful display of glass windows covered the entire ceiling, making it seem like we were standing outside in the sunlight. I had never even imagined something like this existed, especially not in this bland and boring-looking building. But it was truly magnificent, a hint of something real, something other than the concrete jungle I was so used to. _But how was this possible?_

As I was staring at the rays of sunlight hitting the treetops and whatever was behind them, my attention turned to the left as a small splash echoed against the glass surface.

“There!” Akemi exclaimed, finger pointing at the middle of the pool.

As everyone rushed to come as close to the window as possible, a small blue tail started wiggling above the surface, approaching the opposite end. It was about to reach the stones attached at the rim, but instead of slowing down, it kept moving at a constant speed, completely ignorant of the incoming barricade. I turned to my new colleagues and tried asking what’s going on in confusion.

“Hey, guys, isn’t it going to-“

_Thump._

As the inevitable happened, something like a squeal broke out and the unfortunate recipient of that hit emerged above the surface, letting us take a better look.

Instead of a tail, now a small round head appeared above the water, followed by a little hand with three fingers rubbing a spot on its forehead where it had hit the rock. It used its other hand to swiftly prop itself on top of a smooth stone surface, the light blue sky colour of its body contrasting the grey surrounding. The two short legs it walked on also ended with three pointed digits each, now curled underneath a tough shell encasing its body so that only the libs, head and a long tail that curled inward remained visible. The shell was light brown on the top and pale yellow on the bottom, with a thick white ridge that slightly curved as it separated the two halves. The head was fairly simple, no visible ears on the top, as the little droplets of water still glistened in the sun. Its eyes were quite large, red-brown in colour at the bottom and a big black pupil in the middle. The slightly hooked upper lip made it obvious it was still in pain and probably slightly annoyed by the previous encounter.

“Is that a…” It slipped out, as I stared in awe at this aquatic creature, unlike anything I had seen all my life.

“A Pokémon, yes. A Squirtle, to be exact.” A proud answer came from the doctor as he too observed in admiration.

“Aww, it’s so cute!” She said, her hands now placed against the glass, urging to get closer. I could see a delighted smile on her lips as she watched Squirtle trying to rub the pain away. “But why did this happen?” As Akemi’s smile faded away, all eyes turned to the research team, awaiting explanation.

“Ah, you see, that’s because-“ the female scientist started, but was cut off by her superior.

“Do you wish to get in?” the doctor asked and we eagerly agreed, leaving the question unanswered.

 

…

 

I spent the time it took them to open all the security locks and let us inside staring at that weird blue Pokémon resting on the rocks. It was so amazing looking at something so unlike any of us, something that wasn’t human, but just as alive and more fascinating than anything I had ever seen. Its movements and gestures weren’t that of an _uncontrollable aggressive beast_ we were thought to believe they were, but of a creature that simply enjoyed the light rays of sunlight hitting its body.

As soon as the doors sprung open, those red-brown eyes glanced in our direction and, without warning, Squirtle jumped head first into the water, creating another splash.

“We’ve kept any interactions with people to a minimum. They went through a thorough medical check-up under sedation before being moved to this establishment. Their food would be brought in through these doors three times a day, but left inside next to these bars. Not even the research team, including myself, ever got behind this point prior to this day. Our knowledge and data we’ve gathered come only from careful observation behind that glass wall you had just seen. It was all to insure that only those who were specifically chosen to take this job had a chance for a real connection.”

“That said, you have one chance. If anything goes wrong, you are out of the project and you have failed. All of us have. Well, our hopes are that at least one of you can manage to leave a good impression during this unique mission.”

I found it unbelievable that there were Pokémon living in the same research facility with people who had spent their whole lives researching them, but weren’t able to get closer than staring at them through a window. And for them to be trying this out with us, a completely clueless bunch instead of experienced scientists… _Oh, right, I can only speak for myself there…_

“What could go wrong?” Akemi asked, her blue eyes gazing at doctor Norishige.

“Miss Akemi, these are dangerous creatures, albeit young and untrained, they could still hurt you. In case of any aggressive behaviour, I’m afraid neither you nor these Pokémon have a chance at giving us what we’re looking for.”

Even if I knew nothing about him or their research at this centre, I could feel the weight of this day and his life’s work on the line. That female scientist was looking at us with the same thoughts in her eyes and I grew even more nervous than before.

“If everything is clear, I would wish to appoint these Pokémon to the three of you. Since Squirtle is the one you’ve encountered first, I believe it is best to start with it. Miss Akemi – your profile best matched this Pokémon’s attribute and behaviour so we believe you should –“

He stopped in the middle of his sentence, mouth still hanging open and staring in the direction of the pond. Before I managed to utter a single word, a dark blue backpack was nonchalantly discarded next to my feet and a flash of auburn hair zipped past me. That girl was walking towards the water with no reservations what so ever, completely ignorant to the warnings we had just received.

“Hey, wait, don-“ as I reached toward to stop her, a firm grip on my shoulder froze me in my stead. I spun around and saw a serious look on Matsuo’s face, his lips pursed in a thin line and sharp eyes following her every step. He seemed tenser than his usual cool exterior I got to see up until now, but the determination I felt surging through his body made it clear he didn’t want me to stop her.

“Look at her.” He simply said, hand pointing at Akemi who was slowly walking alongside the pond, her sapphire blue eyes following the curled little tail wiggling above the surface. As she picked up her pace, the Pokémon sped up as well, always staying a few steps ahead. She tried going around the entire water area and Squirtle seemed to be swimming in circles, trying not to let her get any closer. She stepped on one of the round pebbles lying next to the water and it ended up breaching the water surface a few feet in front of the Pokémon. It stopped swimming immediately and the tail submerged inside. It appeared again a moment later, this time going in the opposite direction, passing next to her for the first time.

The scientist’s face revealed a sort of conflict going on in his mind – he seemed unsure whether to rush in there and stop her or to let this play out.

“She knows what she’s doing.” The raven haired guy simply said, but everyone believed him. The sheer amount of confidence radiating from him meant he was serious about this and he really trusted that girl’s judgment.

To me, it just seemed crazy, knowing these Pokémon didn’t even know what humans are and she was carelessly walking next to one, not knowing what could happen.

Akemi walked to the end of the pond, to the point furthest away from us, and slowly sat down on one of those grey rocks. She used her hoodie as a blanket and gazed at the celling, the same sunshine now lighting up her face, making it seem like she just belonged there. In truth, she was just waiting for Squirtle to swim up, her body not moving an inch, only listening to the water rustling when the small Pokémon swam towards her. As the tail kept nearing the end of the pond, once again it swam at a fixed pace, no more inclination of turning left to make another circle. It was just like the first time, when it didn’t slow down and ended up hitting the rock. But just as the same thing was about to happen, Akemi swiftly grabbed the end of her braid, pulling the brown hair tie off and throwing it into the water, in between the rocks and the Pokémon.

And it worked.

The swirled tail stopped as soon as the object hit the surface and a head showed up above. Those big eyes pierced at Akemi, looking angry and annoyed for interrupting its swim. It inhaled sharply, entire body moving in unison and opened its mouth, revealing a small clear bubble forming in its base that kept growing in size before it looked like it was ready to shoot – but the little swimmer froze.

I heard a light chuckle and looked up. Akemi was grinning widely, her eyes closed shut as her entire face lit up in a smile so genuine and assuring that my jaw dropped straight to the floor.

“You did it! Good job!” She kept smiling, her hands coming together in a short clap for the Pokémon, commending it for stopping in time. I’m not sure if she just didn’t notice the incoming threat or she pretended it never existed in the first place.

Squirtle, instead of launching that attack, stared at her with a puzzled expression. The bubble popped in its face and it growled in annoyance. I think it completely forgot about attacking because of how bewildering her behaviour seemed.

There was another splash as its body dived in again, but only for a second, as it got back and jumped on the ground. It took a few test steps, slowly and cautiously, but Akemi didn’t move at all, as she followed its advance with her eyes, a smile still displayed on her lips.

The Pokémon stopped about two feet away from her and set down the item it was holding with its digits. She picked her hair tie up after this strange creature had promptly jumped back into the water, swimming away. She grinned and put it around her wrist, the auburn hair now freely moving around in accordance with her movements. She looked in our direction and formed a V-shape with her index and middle finger and started walking back.

The hand on my shoulder was now gone and I turned in time to see Matsuo giving a small nod at that mysterious girl and – _did he just smile?_ But it was gone as soon as I noticed, his cold olive eyes back once again as he honoured me with his only sentence.

“Told you.”

_This guy…_

“B-but, how did you know?” The doctor came rushing towards her, both hands clasping her shoulders and shaking her slightly, as if that was going to speed it up.

She looked straight at him, her smile slowly fading and a hint of worry showing on her face.

“Its eyes. They were closed the entire time.”

“Wait, what do you mean? I saw it looking at you.” I was even more confused than before, not knowing what she meant.

“What she means is – he doesn’t open his eyes when he swims. We have yet to figure out why exactly this is… It didn’t take him long to get into the water, in fact, we’ve never seen a Pokémon trying to swim only a few days after being born. His ability to move underwater is superb. It usually takes them months to learn to move like that. We believe he did it simply by instinct – but the kind that is impressive and unique even for a Water type.”

He explained, fixing his glasses and giving us all a glance, while I stared at him, trying not to ask what exactly being a _Water type_ meant.

“But even then, why did you drop that thing in the water?” He asked, pointing at the brown object around her wrist.

“The Pokémon moved in accordance with her steps next to the water, never letting her catch up. And when she was walking around the pond, he knew how to turn and keep that distance. When that pebble fell into the water, he dodged it instantly. It’s the vibrations, right, doctor?”

Matsuo spoke up, saying more in the past 15 seconds than I had ever heard him speak. _Wait, does this mean I was the only one who didn’t get any of that!?_

“Yes, we have come to the same conclusion. It seems like this Squirtle has an admirable ability to sense different sorts of vibrations and waves in the water, even when there is a person walking on the ground beside them. We have never seen anything like it. But it still doesn’t explain why he keeps keeping his eyes closed. That is why motionless objects pose an issue. He just doesn’t know when to stop swimming and ends up hitting those rocks every time. But I cannot believe you had all of that figured out.”

He addressed these two geniuses and their keen observation skills while I just wanted to hide somewhere.

“Miss Akemi, I believe you will accept our arrangements?”

“Yes, thank you.” She replied to doctor Norishige and signed another form on his clipboard.

“With this, we have concluded the first part. From now on, this Squirtle is in your care. I expect you to fulfil your duties, trainer Akemi.”

And with that, a girl, who is the same age as me, showed just how much behind them I really was and how much of this vast world and its creatures I needed to uncover.


	3. Olive Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We started walking past the small indoor pond and towards the pebble pathway that stretched to the other side. The awakened little stones protested underneath our feet, filling the area with their echo.
> 
> …
> 
> “I can’t believe this…” It came from behind me and I saw the research team baffled by this sight just like I was, meaning this wasn’t what they were expecting either.

We started walking past the small indoor pond and towards the pebble pathway that stretched to the other side. The awakened little stones protested underneath our feet, filling the area with their echo.

I noticed just how abruptly the grass ends a few feet before the bars, almost like it had no intention of getting anywhere near this artificial construction. As we ventured deeper into this unexpected flora, the flowers kept getting bigger, more and more of them in full bloom of different colours. Little buds could be seen next to our feet and it wasn’t surprising that this vegetation covered almost the entire area.

We got to the two looming trees hiding the rest of the room with their thick branches and fresh leaves. I tried lifting some of the braches that hung dangerously low in order to let us through, but they seemed to resist this new shift in positioning and urged to go back to how they were.

As we had passed the curtain made entirely out of green foliage and little twigs, we reached a sort of a clearing covered in taller grass. The flowers we had seen up until now could not compete with what laid ahead.

Petals of every possible colour imaginable appeared in front of me, not just a few florets scattered around, but instead, it looked as if someone took a brush and tried using all the different shades they could find in one small painting. The final result was an unpredictable pattern of blues, reds, yellows, pink and whites intertwining in no special order, but making it seem like it was designed to look just like this.

“I can’t believe this…” It came from behind me and I saw the research team baffled by this sight just like I was, meaning this wasn’t what they were expecting either.

“To be able to create this from practically nothing. This is – this is truly astonishing.” Doctor Norishige added, lowering his glasses and taking in all the different sorts of plants around us. It wasn’t just one type of flowers blooming about, it was an arrangement of corrals of different width and size, with some stems being twice the height of others. Some blossomed by fully spreading out their petals, whilst others directed their flowers towards the sky, refusing to bow down for being trapped inside.

“I understand how _we_ are shocked by all of this, but what do you mean, _you_ can’t believe this? Isn’t this what you’ve made?” A question came from Akemi, directed mostly towards the doctor and his confusing comments.

“You see… We were thinking of how to turn this area into a natural environment for these creatures, but it took more time than expected and we didn’t manage to finish in time. We’ve only managed to work on the trees and the grass, but we thought leaving some flower seeds around might work, that is, if they would even sprout in this environment. But after seeing the different kinds of plants from the glass window, we simply figured our plan worked. But I assure you, we left barely any at this spot. We figured this Pokémon would prefer to stay closer to the water, but he retreated deep inside this little forest and seemed to have moved the vegetation with him. To think he’s capable of doing this…”

And as soon as he mentioned a Pokémon, I started frantically scanning the area looking for one. There were so many different colours around me that I just didn’t know what to focus on. White? Red? Maybe blue again?

“Khm, khm.” Came from behind me and I realised I probably looked like a crazy person, trying to figure out if there’s something hanging off of one of the top branches or if it’s just a weird looking leaf.

“Now, after witnessing these new turns of events, it only makes me even more certain we have made the right choice. The first Pokémon we have encountered was a Water type, meaning he was naturally well adept at moving swiftly in water environments. Most of his attacks will most likely be based off of this typing, using the attribute to its full extent. That is why you were able to see that bubble forming in his mouth. It’s a sign of a Water type attack in formation, the one we simply called Bubble.”

_I probably should’ve assumed it was something like this…_ But I just nodded like it was the most normal, everyday thing for me and I didn’t just hear there are different types of Pokémon which results in different attacks and I was so, so behind.

“The next one is that of a Grass typing. All Grass types have a special connection with nature, just like Water types depend on water. His special ability was noted the day he was born, as all the flowers in that room came into full bloom in a matter of seconds. When these creatures were moved here, we immediately noticed how the grass started spreading throughout the arena, the flora became denser and the trees grew at a rapid rate. But to think he was able to turn this area into an ecosystem of its own, that is unheard of. There is something about this Pokémon that makes nature respond in the most beautiful way, almost as if he’s nurturing all life around him. That Squirtle is unbeatable in water and he will undoubtedly become very strong, but he has still got much to learn and needs a lot of training. This one, on the other hand, has managed to develop his talents all on his own, walled up in his little haven. It should make it reasonably easy to raise him, when this Pokémon already knows how to use his powers.”

One more quick glance around and I was able to understand his enthusiasm and obsession with these creatures. For one Pokémon to be able to create this – this oasis of vitality and its flora, it was simply astounding.

“Nakano Hiroto” He addressed me, but his hand pointing to our right, in the midst of the thickest lines of the tallest flowers with the biggest diversity. I couldn’t see it at first, but I noticed a, what seemed like to me, a giant green bud sprouting from the ground.

“That is a Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon. Since Grass types are essentially peaceful creatures that tend to avoid unnecessary combat, it makes them ideal for someone with little to no experience with Pokémon. Furthermore, as you can see, he’s already aware of his abilities and is able to control them really well, therefore raising this Pokémon should not be as challenging as with the rest. That is why _you_ should be intrusted with his training.”

He simply nodded at me and I couldn’t get mad or insulted over his comments as I knew he was right. But even if he said this one should be the easiest to raise, the sheer power radiating in this place made it seem like I was in no way qualified to be the trainer of a Pokémon that spent so much time learning about his skills, while I knew nothing about this world at all.

Despite my worries and encouraged by Akemi’s actions with her Pokémon, I started taking small steps towards the place the doctor’s hand was pointing at. _Was this Pokémon actually a plant?_

I kept my eyes on the weird looking bud that blended in almost perfectly with its surroundings as I had to leave the pebble path and step onto the grass leading towards it. I finally managed to discern something blue-greenish underneath, but before I could get a better look, the air was knocked out of my lungs as something sharply hit me on the chest. I couldn’t move a single inch because I was held back by a surprisingly strong arm covered in black leather. It stretched horizontally across my rib cage, posing as some kind of fence to keep me in my place. I was taken aback by this brute force and coughed heavily, trying to catch my breath again.

“What the hell is your problem?!” I yelled at this jerk who obviously just had some kind of an issue with me and made it his job to make my life even worse than it was.

“Why would you just hit me like that? Move your hands away from m-“ I stopped in my tracks and looked to my left. Matsuo was - bowing down? His back was completely bent over, face directed towards to ground, his right arm still crossed against my chest, not letting in the slightest.

“Keep. Your. Voice. Down. And. Follow. My. Lead.” He gritted though his teeth, his anger apparent as he tried speaking in a lower register, but it didn’t mask just how much he wanted to kill me in that moment.

“What?! What are you talking about? You idiot, why are you acting so stup-“ He tightened his grip and I could feel his nails digging into my skin though the thin cotton T-shirt I had on.

“Nakano, look down!” A female voice yelled out behind me, with only a hint of fear, and I turned my gaze away from this annoying guy that obviously hated me for some reason and – _oh._

My right foot was still in the air because I was in the middle of taking another step towards that Pokémon, but what definitely hadn’t been there before, was a slender, whip-like vine. It was completely green, darker than the grass below it and ending with a small bud. But not only was that definitely _not_ a part of any plant I had ever seen, I was pretty sure it also shouldn’t be pointed directly at my waist, only inches under Matsuo’s arm that had stopped me.

“ _You_ are the idiot!” He muttered, but keeping as still as possible.

“Put your foot down where it was. Do not by any means lower it any further in that spot.” Matsuo instructed and I felt obligated to listen. I slowly retracted my leg to where it had been before and brought it down on the familiar pebbles. The strange vine didn’t move either, which I interpreted as a good sign, but I was still freaking out. _Just what is going on around here?_

“Now, slowly lower your body and do not look up until I tell you so, is that clear?” His bossy tone still frustrated me to no end, but I did as told and ended up practically bowing to this green plant.

My heart was beating a million times a second. I was too scared to take another breath because it would move me closer to danger and I’m pretty sure my entire body was shaking from this shock, but next to me, Matsuo looked calm and relaxed, his breathing equal and body perfectly still. His eyes were practically closed most of the time, but I could tell he was completely focused on his surroundings, listening to every leaf sway a little as the vine retreated in a blink of an eye.

He slowly exhaled while I took a deep breath for the first time in the past minute and fell to the ground as soon as his arm was gone. I think I would had collapsed even sooner, but I couldn’t move at all because of his grip.

He finally rose up and when he looked at me, I saw nothing but resentment and anger in his olive green eyes.

“You idiot!” The insult ending this conversation and he turned away, without giving me a chance to ask what happened or what I did wrong, but it was apparent to me that this one way my mistake.

“Are you alright?” A concerned voice asked and Akemi rushed forward to check to see if I was alive.

“Y-yeah. But I don’t understand what happened. What did I do?” I probably sounded like a whiny kid at that point, but that was exactly how I felt anyway.

“Are you completely clueless?! How do you think you could take care of one of these Pokémon if you don’t know anything about them? Where did you even find this guy?” He even felt confident enough to question the organisation’s decisions and apparently he wasn’t done with me after all, as he looked so calm while not having to raise his voice at all in order to convey just how little he thought of me. And maybe he was right…

“That’s enough, Matsu.” Akemi cut him off, a stern expression appearing on her face for the first time. He only glared at her for a second, but decided to respect her wishes. He was about to walk away once again, but threw the last bit of information at me, the one that made me feel like I really was the biggest idiot on the planet.

“Whatever. Though, if I were you, Emi, I’d think twice before protecting a guy who can’t even understand how much that Pokémon worked in order to raise these flowers.”

And with that, he turned his back to me for the last time and I just starred at a tiny purple bud that was only beginning to open its fragile petals to the world and I was about to step on it with my stupid foot. _And_ I had that guy save me. _Idiot._

 

 

…

 

 

We returned back to the fenced off area in order to discuss what had just happened. Akemi was again situated on the same rock, her elbows positioned on her knees as she watched Squirtle swim. She would wait for him to reach about one feet away from the end of the pond before throwing down her hair tie into the water. And just like before, the little Water Pokémon stopped just in time, dived in to retrieve her item and give it back to her. I think he would stay on the ground for a moment longer each time, giving her a good up-and-down while she simply smiled and clapped, encouraging him to continue. _How did she turn this into a fun little game with a creature that almost attacked her the first time, but now seemed to be enjoying this conjoined activity?_

The research team was completely absorbed in writing down everything that had been going on since we entered Bulbasaur’s habitant. They kept questioning Matsuo about how he knew exactly what to do and even asked him what his thoughts on our next steps might be. I was still angry at him, or maybe just felt utterly powerless and defeated so I couldn’t bring myself to stand next to him and listen. Instead, I slowly approached the rocks, being careful to keep enough distance between me and any other Pokémon that might wish to attack me. I knew I messed up and that it was my fault, but I needed answers as I still didn’t know exactly how we managed to get away.

“Hey.” I said, hoping she’d be willing to help. At least it wasn’t like she could be worse than Matsuo.

“Hello!” Akemi happily greeted me and made me feel better right away. “How are you doing?”

I definitely didn’t feel the need to express just how shaken up by this situation I really was and how tempting the doors behind me seemed at this moment, so I just shrugged it off and muttered the usual “Fine” and sat down.

“I’m sorry about Matsu… I know he can be a little difficult to understand sometimes. I rarely ever see him get this upset, he usually tries to look like he doesn’t really care.” She chuckled as she managed to catch her hair tie in the air, courtesy of her Squirtle who decided throwing that thing from a safe distance is better than coming close, now that I was here.

“It’s just that, he really believes it is people who simply don’t understand Pokémon and not the other way around.” She explained with a sad expression on her face, clearly thinking about some past events that I shouldn’t pry too much into.

“You mean, he doesn’t actually treat people this way and I am just the unluckiest guy in the planet because he’s decided to turn me into his mortal enemy?” I was joking. Kinda.

A soft laughter escaped her and it just confirmed how I was going to try to keep my distance away from Matsuo and make friends with her instead.

“But can you explain what happened back there? I know I almost stepped on that flower which is why I was about to get attacked, but what did _he_ do?” As if avoiding saying his name out loud is going to help me forget who it was that saved me, but I tried only using pronouns anyways.

“Hmm… Think of it this way. You know how, when you were young, kids who were older and bigger than you seemed kinda scary? And they would always bully those younger than themselves? It’s kind of like that.”

And even though I was sure this made perfect sense to her and I understood what she was saying about kids and all, I still didn’t see the connection between Pokémon and our childhood.

“I mean… How do I explain this… You wouldn’t want one of those scary guys to just barge into your house and start destroying your stuff, right?”

“Yeah, I guess?”

“Well that’s what you were to that Bulbasaur. Your actions seemed aggressive to that Pokémon because, well, they kind of were. And since these little ones are still really young and inexperienced, they act purely on instinct. If there’s a large threat approaching you, you either fight or run away. And I’m pretty sure he decided to attack because he was worried about his plants.”

“Oh…” Was all I could muster, because she was right. She was so unmistakeably right and I felt ashamed for not being able to understand a Pokémon that didn’t even act that much different from people.

“Matsuo, instead of freely walking around, lowered his body and became completely exposed and defenceless. By bowing his head, it was directly in reach for that vine to hit him. That’s how Bulbasaur knew he wasn’t a threat.” She finished her explanation and told me to hurry up as the doctor beckoned us to rejoin the group.

_Not only was he smart enough to figure all of that out in an instant AND he saved me from getting hurt and failing the mission, he also put his own life in danger by trusting that Pokémon to the full extent. And all I did was look at this creatures with distrust and acting like we had nothing in common. It was all my fault._

Doctor Norishige finally seemed to be done with his notes so he turned to look at us, fixing his glasses once again.

“I believe you understand why I am not allowed to intervene even in an event of an attack. Like I have said before, if you are not able to deal with these situations, you are not going to be able to complete the tasks ahead. But I will be honest with you. These Pokémon are still very young and have never displayed hostile behaviour, but they simply don’t know how to react to seeing people for the very first time. There is nothing that can predict their actions with a certainty when this is a project of a unique kind and we are experiencing it for the first time as well. But is everyone alright?”

Whether he was genuinely worried about our safety or just for his own future, his words had a calming effect on me. I was glad there wasn’t the perfect way to prepare for this experience, even if there were definitely better ways than by doing nothing, which was how I got ready for this day.

_But apart from that… how was Matsuo able to react so fast? It was my mistake for paying no attention to my surroundings, but I didn’t even hear him move and he managed to cover the distance between us in a split second. Just who exactly is this guy?_ And with that, my plan to avoid his presence for the rest of my life failed in approximately two minutes.

“Now… I am not sure how exactly we should proceed after this. Since Bulbasaur seemed to have calmed down, do you wish to try again?” The doctor’s face showed a hint of doubt, but he was right, we had to try again. _Even if I didn’t feel right about this one what so ever…_

 

 

 

…

 

 

This time, I tried my best to avoid every single little flower that I could see. Easier said than done, as this area seemed to be completely covered in them. I managed to get a bit closer this time, keeping an eye on that blue-green looking Pokémon. I realised I couldn’t move an inch closer without disturbing this place’s vegetation so I hesitantly called out his name. Nothing happened at first, but then I heard the rustling of leaves and grass giving way to something approaching us.

The green plant bulb became more visible as the Pokémon walked towards me, looking exactly like a giant version of a flower bud. It seemed to be growing straight out of Bulbasaur’s back, attached to his light coloured body with darker patches of green scattered around. They didn’t seem to have any specific order, ranging from those only a centimetre or two in diameter to the biggest one the size of about five centimetres wide and long, making it look almost like a perfect square underneath the bulb on his right side. There were four on his face, three forming a triangle on his forehead and one just underneath it. His eyes were a lighter shade of red with white irises and sclerae. A pair of pointed ears was visible on the top of the Pokémon’s head. He had a short and blunt snout, followed by a wide mouth which hid a pair of pointed teeth visible in the upper jaw. As he took slow and careful steps on four thick legs, I noticed how they all ended with three white and sharp-looking claws. He seemed to be a bit shorter than Squirtle because of staying on all fours, but still around one feet tall.

He came to a stop a few feet in front of me and gently sat down among the different types of flowers. All of the blossoms seemed to gravitate towards the Pokémon, as he carefully inhaled their scent by nudging the petals with his snout.

“So, hmm… Now what?” I stared at the Grass type and his movements, but he seemed to be ignoring me completely. His red eyes were directed at something to my left and as I spun around to see what got him this interested – _just what is that guy thinking?_

Matsuo was sitting down on grassy terrain, his back pressed against the thick tree bark. His black backpack placed next to some of the roots visible on the surface and jacket lightly draped across his shoulders. Eyes closed and head slightly bowed down, he looked as though he was taking a relaxing nap in the forest while I stood in front of a creature ready to attack me if I made one wrong move. _Nope, I hate him again._

But it seemed to be working. The Seed Pokémon eyed him curiously, head bobbed slightly to the right, trying to figure out what this strange intruder was doing. The same vine that almost hit me appeared again, from the base of the green bud on his right side. This time, it extended at a much slower pace, but I froze nonetheless, thinking it was after me once again and too afraid to take a single step. But it just passed by me and continued towards the tree, the vine becoming longer and longer while the Pokémon didn’t have to move at all. It reached Matsuo and tapped him slightly on one of the jacket sleeves hanging by his body and then quickly retracted as the fabric swayed left and right. But when it stopped moving, he tried again, this time poking the guy’s arm and being met with a motionless reply which urged him to keep going. The tiny bud at the end slowly ruffled some of the soft strands of black hair covering Matsuo’s forehead, revealing his closed eyelids.

Despite being greeted by that weird plant-like whip that’s literally growing out of this creature’s back, along with that giant bud that made him seem like a walking herb that attacked me less than 15 minutes ago, this guy is just sitting there like it was all nothing. _Okay, I’m done._

I decided to step back and retreat towards the rest of the group, but at that moment, the Pokémon moved first. Slow steps of his feet led Bulbasaur away from me, trying to avoid getting anywhere near where I was standing by taking the long way around. He positioned himself on the opposite side of the tree, the one I couldn’t see well because it was being blocked by the thick trunk, but I was able to detect a part of his little body lying down on soft green coating and that vine safely hidden from sight.

_Wha-what just happened?_

Even the research team stared in awe at this strange behaviour, backing up a few steps away from the tree, but unable to keep their eyes away from Matsuo and the weird Pokémon. I sighed, ready to give up for good as I just didn’t fit in here. And I’m pretty sure that Bulbasaur disliked me just as much as that Matsuo guy, if not more, for almost destroying one of his flowers. _Ha, no wonder they hit it off. Glad hating me got you two closer._

I started getting very bitter at that point and was about to turn around and leave, but a glimpse of red and orange caught my attention. It was partly masked by all the vegetation stretching onwards, way past the place Bulbasaur had been situated at, but it was easy to distinguish it from the reds and oranges you could see on different petals. It would fade away slowly and then appear once again, ranging in intensity and adding different shades of yellow into the mix. It created a lively contrast to the deep green around us and I was certain it wasn’t just another plant. It couldn’t be. The unpredictable reversal of light and shadow, the slight variations in colour, the energy I felt radiating from that same spot. There was no doubt about it. _Fire._

But just as I tried getting a better look, it suddenly vanished into the thick curtain of leaves, leaving no trace behind. But I couldn’t let it disappear. I felt an unfamiliar urge to chase after that flame that seemed to be pulling me with it. I left the grass surface and started running on the same pebble pathway that led us here, this time deeper towards the opposite side we still hadn’t seen.

I heard faint yelling behind me coming from Akemi and the doctor, but I just kept running, listening to the pebbles being knocked aside as my sneakers rushed to reach the end of the room. I _had_ to see it again.

 


	4. Crimson Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I slowed down to a walking pace and looked ahead at the approaching white walls signalling I had almost reached the end of this arena. I kept looking around, glancing behind each stone in search of the flame I was sure had to be here. But I couldn’t find its source.
> 
> After circling around a couple of times, each ending in a complete failure, I found myself walking towards one of the rocks and sitting down.
> 
> What if I’m wrong, if it was just a strange flower that just happened to sway in the wind and then disappear into thin air and – No.
> 
> “It was real.” I said more to myself than to anyone else and turned around as I heard some kind of noise, half expecting Matsuo to come after me so he could tell me how big of an idiot I was.
> 
> But it wasn’t him.

The vegetation started becoming scarcer as I created more and more distance between me and the others. The colours slowly subsided, only the thinned out green patches of grass scrambled around my feet. It was like breaking some sort of a barrier that Bulbasaur had created in order to raise his own forest area and reaching into the uninhabited region. Countless rocks, varying from only a feet in diameter to those reaching my waist. They were grey and plain, similar to the ones walling off the pond area, but without being covered by the little drops of water glistening in the sun.

I slowed down to a walking pace and looked ahead at the approaching white walls signalling I had almost reached the end of this arena. I kept looking around, glancing behind each stone in search of the flame I was sure had to be here. But I couldn’t find its source.

After circling around a couple of times, each ending in a complete failure, I found myself walking towards one of the rocks and sitting down.

_What if I’m wrong, if it was just a strange flower that just happened to sway in the wind and then disappear into thin air and –_ No.

“It was real.” I said more to myself than to anyone else and turned around as I heard some kind of noise, half expecting Matsuo to come after me so he could tell me how big of an idiot I was.

But it wasn’t him.

To my left stood a medium-sized rock, its surface flat and smoothed out. It was no different than the countless stones I had passed by until this point, but I heard a faint scratching noise coming from that direction. As I prompted myself back on my feet, curious to find the source of this commotion, a flash of orange caught my attention.

It wasn’t a flame, that much was certain, but it was impossible to miss the appearance of this bright colour next to a dull background. It immediately disappeared as I stepped forward so I decided to retreat instead, sitting down on my rock once again.

After waiting for a few moments in complete silence, more scratching seemed to be coming from behind the rock as I noticed three little white claws grabbing the top of the rocky surface. They extended from a short orange arm and dug shallowly into the grey stone, allowing a round head to peak behind it. I was greeted by a wide open pair of big brown eyes curiously looking in my direction.

“Umm, hi!” A gave a little wave to this newcomer, but it rapidly released its grip and ducked behind cover.

“Nonono, wait, don’t go, I’m sorry, okay?” And instead of finding the new Pokémon unapproachable or frightening, I smiled a bit at this shy creature that got spooked away by a simple wave. 

I waited for another few seconds and both hands extended their small pointy claws at once, grabbing the stone and letting the Pokémon peer from a higher point, this time its entire head visible. It was completely orange in colour and round at the top with a slightly pointed snout at the bottom. I could recognise one pair of small fangs in both its upper and lower jaw when it let out a small growl. It seemed like it was having issues supporting its entire weight with just those claws alone and I noticed a look of surprise in those big eyes as it let out a grunt of annoyance and dropped to the ground with a small _thud._

For some reason, this one seemed completely different from the other two Pokémon I had seen until now. Squirtle seemed like type that kept trying in spite of having issues and taking pride in his training, trying to further his ability to become a great swimmer. Bulbasaur spent countless hours taking care of his plants, developing his natural talents and connecting with the environment, but felt threatened as soon as we had entered his habitant. Unlike the first two, I didn’t feel intimidated by seeing this creature meet my gaze. In fact, it just made me want to know more.

I started to get worried when I didn’t see any new attempts at climbing for a couple of minutes, but a faint sound of feet hitting the grassy terrain interrupted my thoughts. And then, without any warning, a small orange figure leapt into the air and found itself perched on the flat grey stone, meeting its surface on all fours to ease the fall.

My eyes were blown wide and I couldn’t help but stare at this little thing that decided jumping on top would be a better solution that simply going around it. _Maybe I’m not that bad after all._

I could finally see its entire body, still mostly of that same shade of orange with the underside of its chest and soles cream-coloured. The claws of its front arms weren’t visible any more, but the three white ones on both of its feet helped keep the balance. They seemed longer than the ones I had seen trying to help with the climb and it looked like they always stayed extended. When it slowly turned around, a long, slender tail became apparent, orange on top and beige on the bottom.

But what really caught my attention and made me feel less crazy for a change, was the soothing fire burning on the tip of its tail. It looked just like the sight I had seen before running here, flames of red and orange disappearing into thin air after climbing to a certain height. It was a mesmerising sight, richer in colour than all the flowers I had seen and emitting a special kind of warmth that reminded me of those long hours I would spend in front of a fireplace, enthralled by its beauty.

I wondered how it felt like to have a part of your body constantly aflame, but the Pokémon didn’t seem bothered by it at all. It decided to lie down, curled up in a little ball, the long tail at a small distance from its head, but it seemed to like the warmth. The flames kept swaying around in rhythm, almost like I was looking at the creature’s heart slowly beating away. I was completely drawn in and decided I could try taking a few steps closer to the Pokémon. But just as I was about to start walking, a rustling of leaves behind me and familiar voices stopped me in my tracks. We weren’t going to be alone for much longer, but as I contemplated what by best decision here would be, the flames in front of me suddenly changed in character. Instead of the inviting warm orange, a deep crimson red took its place, the flames now reaching double their previous size and the Pokémon awakening from its nap, tail swung to the front, making a fiery barrier between its face and whatever was approaching us. 

 

 

…

 

 

“Step away from that Charmander!” Doctor Norishige yelled out pointing his finger at the orange Pokémon behind me. _So that’s what this one’s called._

Akemi and Matsuo weren’t far behind him, followed by the two Pokémon. Squirtle seemed to be mirroring Akemi’s every step, still holding her hair tie and running on his short legs in order to keep up. Bulbasaur didn’t seem that bothered by the commotion and was slowly walking behind everyone.

The woman who had originally escorted me to the group came closer as well, a notebook and pen in her hands. But there was another person I hadn’t see yet. He was dressed in all black, a protective jacket and boots making him seem very ill-suited for the green forest behind him. I couldn’t make out much of his face because there was a cap blocking my view, but my eyes were focused on the shiny black metal in his hands. I recognised the shape immediately, despite never seeing it in person, as it was one of the best known breakthroughs in fighting against Pokémon. He held the tranquilizer gun aimed at me, or maybe a little to my left and as soon as I realised what he was about to do, I jumped right in the middle of them and Charmander.

“No, wait, don’t do it!” I yelled out, able to feel the heat coming from behind me as I glanced back to see the tip of the little orange Pokémon’s tail growing bigger and bigger, its eyes changing from their warm brown to assertive deep red.

Akemi’s hand was covering her mouth, but she crouched down to pet the Water type that was tightly hugging her leg. Bulbasaur stepped in front, keeping a safe distance from the armed guy and keeping his gaze on us.

“She is obviously out of control. You have my permission to shoot.” The doctor simply stated, eyes purged of the previous fascination with these creatures and now showing only reserved contempt while staring at Charmander.

“I told you to wait! It wasn’t like this before you came, I swear!” I fought back as I knew I was right and it was them that somehow disturbed the peaceful Charmander that I had seen.

“You’re saying it didn’t attack you?” Came from the person I had least expected to back me up, but his green eyes showed he was serious and carefully assessing the situation.

“Yes! Look, I don’t know what happened, but she wasn’t aggressive when it was just me. Please, you gotta believe me!” I was too busy trying not to panic and get them to back away that I didn’t even notice I was begging Matsuo for help.

The research team wasn’t sure what to think of my words and just as I started hoping they would let me explain, the doctor was back at his words and unwilling to listen to reason.

“I advise you to move out of the way. But since you seemed to have failed your task, you aren’t needed anyway. Do it.” He urged the man in black and after a short nod, the guy repositioned his gun and aimed down the sight, while I refused to move an inch and knew it was actually me who was about to get shot, most likely the little Pokémon behind me suffering the same fate.

“I’m sorry…” I muttered under my breath, knowing it was only the two of us who could actually hear my words and closed my eyes, preparing to be knocked out and dumped who knows where.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?! Let go, you worthless monster!”

I opened my eyes and saw the loaded gun now furthered away from that man’s face, as he desperately fought to free his weapon from the green whip completely enveloping it. Matsuo’s hand was extended in that direction and there was Bulbasaur at his feet. His vine was perfectly levelled with the raven boy’s fingers as he kept trying to take possession of the metal object. It was almost like Matsuo’s digits became prolonged by the Pokémon’s ability to manipulate plants and they worked together in unison.

And I was sure I would had heard him say a single command to that little green Pokémon, meaning all of this happened in a mute manner.

The man was struggling to fend off the green vines and reached into his belt, drawing out a shiny object and preparing to lower it towards the vine.

“Aotane!” Akemi yelled out and before I could even react, a spinning brown shell flew through the air, forming an arc. It bashed into the guy’s left hand and knocked the knife straight to the ground, earning a shriek of pain and a few curses in the process.

I couldn’t even find my bearings and didn’t know how to react in the middle of this abrupt fighting, but I remembered the Pokémon behind me and quickly rushed to her side, forgetting how she still hadn’t let me approach her and I might be breaking some limits here.

Her eyes, still a deep red, beamed at me as I started getting close, ignoring the hundreds of warnings coming from the scientist and urging forward. I knew she was angry, I could _feel_ it. The flames of her tail flickered faster than before, their rhythm broken and missing the mild yellow tones I had seen before.

I tried my best not to show I was scared of this newfound power of hers and kept the mental image of that curious little Pokémon that was too shy to directly approach me.

“We’re sorry. Please, I don’t want you to get hurt. But you need to calm down so they stop thinking you’re a threat. Please, understand what I’m saying.” I couldn’t think of a way to deliver the message any other way, even though I was fairly certain she couldn’t understand a word I was saying. But I had to try. I had to do _something._

“Enough with this madness! What do you think you’re doing?” I wasn’t even sure if he was yelling at me or my colleagues, but doctor Norishige seemed to be losing his patience with all of us.

“Nakano Hiroto! You are not qualified to handle a Fire type! They are dangerous creatures, more difficult to control than the others. Especially this one! She is not able to control her flames, they are as erratic as her behaviour, just as we had predicted. Now, step aside!”

“No! I-I’m sorry, but I can’t. I… I want to try. I’m not fit to raise that Bulbasaur anyway, you’ve seen it! But I don’t think you have any right to call her aggressive after not teaching her how to control it! She was here all alone… This is the only thing she knows how to do…”

And I realised I somehow knew it was true just by looking at her. While both Bulbasaur and Squirtle found their goal and realised what they could do with their potential, I felt like this one just didn’t know how powerful she was. I don’t think she was aware of how high she could jump earlier, she just wanted to get on top of that rock. Just like now. The flames on that tail are the only way for her to defend herself and I doubt she was doing this on purpose, but she was scared and couldn’t keep it in control anymore.

“You want to _what_?! You cannot possibly expect us to agree with that since it is not even your decision to make. This Pokémon is simply too challenging for someone with no knowledge and therefore we have assigned her to Mat-“

“I’ll take the Bulbasaur.” Just as his name was about to get called out, Matsuo shrugged it off and glanced at his feet where the Seed Pokémon was trying to figure out what to do with the gun he had taken away.

“I knew you’d say that, Matsu.” A reassuring smile appeared on Akemi’s face as she was now holding Squirtle – _did she call him Aotane? –_ in her arms and gently petting his head.

As everyone but the doctor seemed to have calmed down and he was still spouting nonsense about their decisions and what was best, I noticed the red flames slowly dying out, giving room for those warm orange and yellow undertones to appear once again. Her eyes changed from a deep crimson to a gentle brown as she still eyed me curiously, occasionally glancing at all the people behind us. Charmander observed the other two Pokémon - Bulbasaur handing the weapon to Matsuo and Squirtle with a wide grin on his face as Akemi complimented his attack.

She seemed confused by this sight and a hint of fear flashed in her eyes, her tail going back behind her back and head frantically looking for a way out. But there was nothing but white walls behind her and a group of not-so-friendly looking creatures blocking the path back to the forest.

“Don’t go! Please…” I got her attention, but she was still leaning down the rock, ready to jump down and hide again.

“Just look at them.” I pointed my hand towards the other two Pokémon and hoped she would understand me. “Not all of us think you’re a threat. It’s okay to be scared. Hell, I’ve been freaking out since I stepped foot into this building…” I still didn’t believe she could actually understand me, but something in my words made her feel safe enough to sit back down.

“I’m not like those two.” I stared at Akemi and Matsuo and how confident both of them were, their understanding of these creatures definitely superb to mine. “But I want to get to know you.” I still wasn’t sure why she stayed, but she did, and she was listening to words she couldn’t understand.

As I kept talking in hope she’d trust me and completely ignored everyone around us, I didn’t even notice Akemi approached me until her hand reassuringly squeezed my shoulder. Next to my feet, small new buds started sprouting from the ground as Bulbasaur slowly walked towards Charmander, leaving a trail of plants behind his feet. Squirtle tried climbing the rock and getting close to her, but he couldn’t even graze the hard surface with his clawless digits. A green vine slowly wrapped around his body and effortlessly lifted the Water Pokémon up, gently dropping him next to Charmander.

It was really cool seeing the three of them all in one place, helping each other and getting along better than, well, definitely better than Matsuo and me. A little growl came from a small blue Pokémon’s mouth and it seemed like he was trying to cheer her up, earning a small chuckle from Akemi.

“You really think you can do this?” It was his turn to speak up, serious green eyes carefully eyeing the Fire type, but directing his question to me.

“Yes. I mean, no. Well, I don’t know. I’m not really sure what to do either _._ But I’ll do it anyway. She deserves that.” I gathered the courage to look straight at him and he simply nodded at my reply, probably the first hint of recognition or approval I had gotten from him. _I’ll take it._

“Enough! Neither of you should be allowed to proceed with this mission. Not after assaulting a guard under my command and completely disobeying orders. I am reporting this to headquarters, I think our job here is done. Now, follow m-“ Doctor Norishige spoke up in an angry manner, followed by the man in black who was still clutching his left hand, an expression of utter loathing displayed on his face. But his words got interrupted by a deep male voice coming from behind them, leaving the doctor’s face seemingly without colour and with a terrified look in his eyes.

“What is going on here?”


End file.
